Pistorius Trial
Oscar Pistorius Trial
The trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp and several gun-related charges (The State vs. Oscar Pistorius) in the Hin Pretoria commenced on March 3, 2014. Oscar Pistorius is a double amputee leading South African runner, who won attention as an athlete with a disability competing at a high level, including multiple Paralympic games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pistorius was arguably a South African legend until this story reveled itself about him shooting and killing Reeva Steenkamp, a model, and his girlfriend. On Valentines Day in the early morning of Thursday, February 14, 2013, Steenkamp was shot and killed by Pistorius at his Pretoria home. Pistorius acknowledges that he shot Steenkamp to death and says that he mistook her for an intruder and opened fire upon self-defense to protect him. Pistorius was taken into police custody and was formally charged with murder in a Pretoria court on February 15, 2013.
Pistorius’s argument is that he shot his wife Steenkamp as an act of defense thinking she was an intruder and fired his gun in the bathroom unconsciously. Saying that he comes from a history of violence and he loved his girlfriend and would never take her life. Also saying that he did not have his legs on at the time of the shooting but a lot of evidence found by the South African Police Service proves otherwise. Pistorius is in an non jury trial and all decisions will be made by the prosecutor as he faces one of the toughest prosecutors in South Africa.
On February 25, 2014, Judge President Dunstan Mlambo ruled in the High Court in Pretoria that the entire trial may be broadcast live via audio and that parts of the trial may be broadcast live via television, namely the opening and closing arguments, the testimony of consenting state witnesses, the judgment, and the sentencing if applicable. The media such as ESPN, TIME, ABC, CNN and likes of a few other big name media got ahold to the case due to the fame
The trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp and several gun-related charges (The State vs. Oscar Pistorius) in the Hin Pretoria commenced on March 3, 2014. Oscar Pistorius is a double amputee leading South African runner, who won attention as an athlete with a disability competing at a high level, including multiple Paralympic games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pistorius was arguably a South African legend until this story reveled itself about him shooting and killing Reeva Steenkamp, a model, and his girlfriend. On Valentines Day in the early morning of Thursday, February 14, 2013, Steenkamp was shot and killed by Pistorius at his Pretoria home. Pistorius acknowledges that he shot Steenkamp to death and says that he mistook her for an intruder and opened fire upon self-defense to protect him. Pistorius was taken into police custody and was formally charged with murder in a Pretoria court on February 15, 2013.
Pistorius’s argument is that he shot his wife Steenkamp as an act of defense thinking she was an intruder and fired his gun in the bathroom unconsciously. Saying that he comes from a history of violence and he loved his girlfriend and would never take her life. Also saying that he did not have his legs on at the time of the shooting but a lot of evidence found by the South African Police Service proves otherwise. Pistorius is in an non jury trial and all decisions will be made by the prosecutor as he faces one of the toughest prosecutors in South Africa.
On February 25, 2014, Judge President Dunstan Mlambo ruled in the High Court in Pretoria that the entire trial may be broadcast live via audio and that parts of the trial may be broadcast live via television, namely the opening and closing arguments, the testimony of consenting state witnesses, the judgment, and the sentencing if applicable. The media such as ESPN, TIME, ABC, CNN and likes of a few other big name media got ahold to the case due to the fame